Where or When
"Where or When" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes in Arms. It was first performed by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green. That same year, Hal Kemp recorded a popular version. It also appeared in the [[Babes in Arms (film)|film version of Babes in Arms]] two years later. Dion and the Belmonts released a successful cover of the song, which reached number 3 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in January 1960. In 1963, The Lettermen released their version as a single, which peaked at number 98 on the Hot 100. The song was used for the 1992 biopic Sinatra, starring Philip Casnoff; in the film, Frank Sinatra performs the song on stage at the Paramount Theatre. Babes in Arms "Where or When" is the first number to appear in the original Broadway production of Babes in Arms. The musical opens in Seaport, Long Island on a hectic morning that finds most of the adult population embarking on a five-month vaudeville tour. Soon after his parents' departure, 20-year-old Valentine LaMar (played by Ray Heatherton) discovers at his doorstep a young hitchhiker named Billie Smith (played by Mitzi Green). Instantly smitten, he engages her in a discussion of movie stars, self-defense maneuvers, and Nietzsche's theory of individualism, at which point Val impulsively steals a kiss. Both admit to a powerful sense of déjà vu and sing "Where or When" as a duet. MGM bought the screen rights to Babes in Arms in 1938, and the following year the studio released a film with that title, starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, that bore little resemblance to its stage predecessor; the characters and plot were substantially revised (by 10 studio writers), and only two numbers were retained from the score. "Where or When" was one that survived, appearing 37 minutes into the film, sung by Betty Jaynes, Douglas McPhail and Garland in a scene depicting a rehearsal sequence, although Garland is cut short during her performance. Analysis of the lyrics The lyrics of Where or When illustrate a memory anomaly known as déjà vu. The line "Some things that happen for the first time..." is often misunderstood or misheard as "Some things that happened for the first time..." which changes the meaning. Rather than recalling past events which actually "happened", the lyrics refer to present events which "happen" for the first time, but which falsely seem to be recurring.Eli Marcovitz, M.D. , "The Meaning of Déjà Vu", Psychoanalytic Quarterly, vol. 21 (1952), pp.481-489Alan S. Brown, The déjà vu experience, Psychology Press, (2004), , Introduction, page 1 Recorded versions | label = Laurie | composer = Lorenz Hart | lyricist = Richard Rodgers | producer = | prev_title = Every Little Thing I Do | prev_year = 1959 | next_title = When You Wish upon a Star | next_year = 1960 }} * Ronnie Aldrich * Julie Andrews * Ray Anthony * Jan August * Count Basie * Shirley Bassey * The Beach Boys * The Belmonts * Tony Bennett * Jane Birkin * Earl Bostic * Ruby Braff * Clifford Brown * Dave Brubeck * Michael Buble * Charlie Byrd * Herman Chittison * Arnett Cobb * Nat King Cole * Natalie Cole * Judy Collins * Perry Como * Harry Connick Jr. * Ray Conniff * Bing Crosby * Sammy Davis Jr. * Dennis Day * Buddy DeFranco * The Dinning Sisters * Dion & The Belmonts * Ray Eberle & his orchestra * Dave Edmunds * Duke Ellington * Gideon Emery * Percy Faith & his orchestra * Robert Farnon orchestra * Bryan Ferry * Ella Fitzgerald * The Flamingos * Ralph Flanagan * The Four Lads * Red Garland * Erroll Garner * Judy Geeson * Stan Getz * Benny Goodman * Morton Gould * Stephane Grappelli * Adelaide Hall * Edmond Hall * Lionel Hampton * Todd Gordon * Dick Haymes * Ruthie Henshall * Woody Herman * Al Hibbler * Stevie Holland * Lena Horne, in ''Words and Music'' * Leslie Hutchinson * Harry James * Etta Jones * Bert Kaempfert & his orchestra * Stan Kenton & his orchestra * André Kostelanetz & his orchestra * Diana Krall * Gene Krupa & his orchestra * Julian Lage * Mario Lanza * Trio Lescano * Steve Lawrence * Turner Layton * Peggy Lee * The Lettermen * Julie London * Vera Lynn * Barry Manilow * Dean Martin * Mary Martin * Johnny Mathis * Daniel Matto * Idina Menzel & Taye Diggs * Susannah McCorkle * George Michael from Songs from the Last Century * Jane Monheit * Vaughn Monroe * Marion Montgomery * Red Norvo * Patti Page * Pasadena Roof Orchestra * Mandy Patinkin * Les Paul & Mary Ford * Oscar Peterson * Noah Preminger * Rita Reys * Cliff Richard * Kenny Rogers * Sonny Rollins * Anton Schwartz * Artie Shaw * Anne Shelton * Dinah Shore * Carly Simon * Frank Sinatra * Singers UnlimitedMPS Records MPS 14.331 - Album A Capella III * Johnny Smith * Kay Starr * Rod Stewart & Lisa Ekdahl * Barbra Streisand from Color Me Barbra * The Supremes * Dame Joan Sutherland * Tierney Sutton * Victor Sylvester * Art Tatum * Jack Teagarden * Claude Thornhill & his orchestra * Mel Tormé * Caterina Valente * Frederica von Stade * Helen Ward & Harry James & His Orchestra Helen Ward · Harry James & His Orchestrahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKvZL7HmzMM * Paul Weston & his orchestra * Margaret Whiting * Andy Williams * Teddy Wilson Use in popular media * Danny Tanner, Joey Gladstone, and Jesse Katsopolis cover the song in the Season 7 episode of Full House titled "Too Little Richard Too Late". * The song appears three times, sung by Molly Johnson, in the made-for-TV movie ghost noir Gotham (1988). The second time it is played, Molly is shown singing it in a night club and Virginia Madsen (playing the ghost) recites the lyrics over her performance. * In her Oscar-winning performance in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, Ellen Burstyn sings "Where or When" while playing her piano, shortly after the death of her husband from a trucking accident. * The song appears at the end of American Dad episode "A Star is Reborn". * It is sung in the background of About Time, a film involving time-travel. See also * Where Or When (film), a film inspired by the song External links * References Category:1937 songs Category:1960 singles Category:1963 singles Category:Pop standards Category:Songs from Babes in Arms Category:Songs with music by Richard Rodgers Category:Songs with lyrics by Lorenz Hart Category:Dion DiMucci songs Category:The Lettermen songs Category:Lena Horne songs Category:Barbra Streisand songs Category:Andy Williams songs Category:Caterina Valente songs Category:Laurie Records singles Category:Dave Edmunds songs